Signaling system for indicating inefficient vacuum conditions in automotive engines



Dec. 8, 1953 INVENTOR. Glen I Wo'rel ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 8, 1 953 TE- D i STATEE S PATENT OFFICE SIGNAEINGziSESfIEM FOR INDICATINGZIN-.-:EFFICIENT"NACUUMi-GONDITIONS 1N AU- SOMOZRLVEENGINES Glen .or'el,-Robbinsda-le, M-inn as'signor to Thexton Mamifacturing Gompany, i-Minne- 2.apolis,sMinn.,ea 1corporationeof Minnesota 2 Giaims. (Cl; 1161 38) This invent-ion, relates to Simplified "apparatus vi -hereby theeconomyt'and elficiency of automoti-ve engines-may be increased:and'relates; particaula'r-ly to a-signal-'device and apparatus for in-;dicating to the "driver -"during 'travel when the partial vacuu-mof-the intake .tmanifoldifalls the- "Iowa range for efficientoperation'andreconomy. -l/ ery frequently; in driv-ingja motor vehiclethe throttle is advanced teo rapidlyor the' transmis-V sion mechanism isset in too 'high a" speed-ratio oroverd'rive is utilized in--ascending aslope, causing the manifold vacuum to 'beqdecreased below =a -properoperation range "for motor" efficiency.

spartial vacuum area "111 191: line ;connected with v the intake;manifold 50f "the gautomotive eaengine which. through the negativepressurenjofethes system will Imoduee Ta whistle or-gaudib.le ssignalwarning the driverzsothathe maylad-iustthrottle pressureior.-speediratio to obtain-r optimumyiuel J mixer conditions. 'forflthe111013011:f-;-th&8hi0l8.

jItis anothereobjectlto provide alsignal; system of 'the' classdescribed connected withthe conduit "for "operating a conventionalwindshield .w-ipcr 1Z2 taken approxima el upon the-'line"2-=2 OfFigf4;EigrBj is a-vertica1 section taken "onthe line 3 -3 of" Fig. 1* withthesignal valveaor piston-disposed in normal position when the motor is5 running 'with adequate "negative pressure pro- "duced loythe "intakemanifold and V Fig.-4j is-a section ,similari to Fig.3 with;the signalvalve disposed-ii whistle operating position-due to decrease impartialvacuum :inthe-intake manifoldnf'the engine the" dotted lines-"indicating-fu11y iopened position of-the yvalve ,or "signalling pistonwhenthe-"motor isnot- -in operation.

Inthe drawings,; as;showninjiig: 1,- my signal- 5 ling apparatusis shownas connected with the conduit (usually in the form of rubber hoseri-lfor supplying negative pressure ior'operation of the windshield-"wipermechanism Inthe type ofw-ind shield-wiper-mechanism illustrated,

- the; prime mover -WM-'-isconnected by linkage -L and L with ;apairof---=w;indshield wipers not -shown, *at the left and right-sides of themotor vehicle windshield.

" My apparatus includes a specialifitting 'orbody indicated as anentirety by thenumeralfi h aving a-straightrconduit*p'ofiion Gdprovidedwith ter- -minalnipples 6b and 'fic-whicbare-adapted to be *telescoped'--Withir1 the-ends --"of a break in wind- "shield hose H.

Conduit'portiomliw communicates by means -of a. perpehdiculargpoit6d--with a cylindrical valve chamberla formed in-'-'a-cylinfder 'l-whichmay "be integrally "formed orrigidly connected *with the fitting. orconduit 6a. The cylinder? as shown, hasmne end thereof closed by meansof a screw; plug '8 internally threaded -,-'therew ith whichscrew;plughasja concentricrecess or}socki'et'Bav for; accommodating: the outerend of a compression spring-ll. v npistonfi 0' is 'slidably mountedwhereby:Whenihegpartial yacuumoi..the,auto+;:4o within cylinder!and'urged'jto 'outward posi- -motive engine "ialls below ..a,predetermined =a.mount;-a whistle ono'ther audible sjgn a1,;1

erated towarn' the driver.

.Theseand other-objects and advantages of my tion-byspring; 9;the' innerend" of-said springbeing received in -'a -cylindrical-spring recess- 10a "formed in'sai'd piston;- "Piston' l0 outwardlypfsaidspi'ingreceiving recesshas an-annulangroove invention will'bemoreapparent from the follow-@245 -1 nbrormed*thereinwhich is-a ted incertain ing description made in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein like reference charactersvreferi to similar partsthroughout the several views and'in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic top-plan view showing an embodiment of "my deviceand apparatus applied atoithex conduit which conventionally connects theevv'iindsh-ield wiper-meohanismf-With the:mafi fp1dtio'fianautomotive-internal gaseombustiomengine.

ii-lg. 2451a cross-section-Ofimy-signamng'device posi-tionsof-said-pistorr tof-be alinedwith a-radial vvhis-tle p'ort -l blformedcim an appropriate portion pf cylindef-l. -Whist-leportrlb=ccmmunicates -with A a truncated coni'eal 'skirt -Tcof 'cylinder lwhich 1 is open at its outerendand-is -hol1ow-=and{has mounted thereinaconventional type' of whistle -comprising a diaphragm l linthe--formof-a-pair ==df ppposedconcavmconvex discs having -=axia1-=apertures or slots therethrough.

The piston -l n has an axial port l 00 extending 3 from the springreceiving socket a to a radial port 10d (see Fig. 2) which communicateswith the annular groove [0b formed in the periphery of the inner portionof the piston.

the special fitting or body 6 of my device may be readily connected withthe nozzles 6b and 6c fitted into the broken hose connection.

It will of course be understood that various changes may be made in theform, details, arrangement and proportion of the parts without departingfrom the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. A signal device for indicating when the partial vacuum within adevice such as the intake manifold of an automobile engine, is below apredetermined value, comprising a body forming an internal cylinder andhaving a passage communicating with the inner end of said cylvacuum ofthe intake manifold is approximately 12 during driving of the car, acoil spring 9 is selected which will produce a pressure opposing apartial vacuum of approximately 6. The tension of coil spring 9 may beadjusted within limits according to the inward position of the plug 8threaded into cylinder 7.

When the engine E is stopped, coil spring 9 projects piston 10 toextreme outward position with the outer end flush against the end of thecylinder indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3. The

communicating groove liib'is then in a position pastregistration withthe whistle port lb. Upon starting of the enginathe negative pressureproduced is more than adequate to overcome the distended position ofspring 0 and draws the piston inwardly into approximately the position Ishown in Fig. 3 for normal efficient driving of the car.

When the throttle is advanced too rapidly or when the car is laboring ingoing up an ascent in high speed or in overdrive, the partial vacuum islowered and coil spring 9 reacts to position the communicating annulargroove 10b in registration with the whistle port 1b. In this connectionit is desirable to make the annular groove Iiib somewhat wider, say from1 /2 to 3 times the diameter of the whistle port lb.

Air is thus drawn through the whistle mechanism Ii through whistle portlb to the annular groove lb and then radially and inward to the axialport "30, through the radial port 10d. A

I series of short whistles readily audible to the driver is thusproduced, indicating that the throttle is advanced too rapidly or thatthe gear shift should be operated to select a lower driving gear ratio.

The warning is immediate and the driver very soon learns to heed thesame and release of throttle or shift from overdrive becomes almostautomatic after the device has been used a short time.

Many drivers do not realize that considerable fuel is wasted and engineefficiency lowered because the throttle is open to too great an extentfor the particular driving conditions of the car.

The engine will not accelerate as fast when too 1 heavy a mixture isadministered to the cylinders as when the throttleis adjusted properlyin accordance with the particular driving conditions.

With my signal device, during the operation of the motor vehicle, adriver is instantly warned I whenever the partial vacuum of the manifoldusual windshield wiper mechanism. Thereafter,

inder and adapted to be connected with the interior of said device, apiston mounted in said cylinder with its inner end subjected to thepartial vacuum created therein, a spring for urging said pistonoutwardly in opposition to the effect of partial vacuum thereon, saidpiston having a circumferential recess in the periphery thereof,

said recess communicating with a passage which is in communication withthe inner end of said cylinder and a whistle device connected with theouter portion of said body and having a whistle I port extendingradially into said cylinder and normally closed by the unrecessedperiphery of said piston, but being adapted to communicate with saidrecess when said piston through dropping of the partial vacuum to whichits inner end is subjected, is projected by said spring to apredetermined range of its movement.

2. A signal device for indicating when the'partial vacuum within adevice such as the intake manifold of an automobile engine is below apredetermined value, comprising a body forming an internal cylinder andhaving a passage communicating with the inner end of said cylinder andadapted to be connected with said device, a

, piston mounted in said cylinder with its inner end subjected to thepartial vacuum created therein and having a spring receiving seat in theinner portion thereof, a spring interposed between the inner end of saidcylinder and the end of said seat for urging said piston outwardly inopposition to the effect of said partial vacuum, said piston having aclosed outer end and provided with a circumferential recess in theperiphery thereof, said piston also having a passage communicating saidrecess with the interior of said spring seat and a signal deviceconnected with said body and adapted to be set in operation whensubjected to partial vacuum, said device having a communicating portextending substantially radially mto the intermediate portion of saidcylinder and normally closed by the unrecessed portion of the peripheryof said piston but being adapted to communicate with said recess whensaid piston is projected outwardly to a predetermined range of itsmovement through action of said spring in excess of a less than normal,partial vacuum imposed upon the inner end of said piston.

GLEN J. WOREL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name

